Ayannah wins Silicon Valley VC Taskforce’s Contest

April 12, 2011 – Palo Alto, CA – The Science and Technology Advisory Council, Silicon Valley (“STAC-SV” or “STAC”) announced that Ayannah Information Solutions, a technology company founded in the Philippines and one of three winners in STAC’s co-sponsored eServices Business Plan Competition last year, also won as best presenter at last night’s VC Taskforce’s Seed Stage Elevator Pitch Contest held in San Francisco, CA.

“This is a great milestone not only for Ayannah but for the Philippines”, said Christina Laskowski, president of the Science & Technology Advisory Council – Silicon Valley.  

“Ayannah underscores the talent in the Philippines that has yet to be discovered and Ayannah’s achievement last night is one step closer to STAC’s strategic objective to help Philippine-based technology companies receive international institutional funding. We at STAC will continue to support technology-based companies in the Philippines, as they face the challenge of competing in dynamic global markets.”

Ayannah makes global e-remittances for migrant workers smarter with its Sendah and Sendah Direct Services. In lieu of cash, Ayannah’s customers, who are mostly migrant workers around the world, convert hard earned savings into products and services that their families can more adequately benefit from.

Previously, Ayannah customers choosing to remit to their home countries could only do so in the form of cash at the risk of the cash not always utilized the way it was intended. Today, using Sendah or Sendah Direct, customers can transact online or via their mobile device – and convert their cash into goods and services such as baby formula or medicine that their family desperately needs in their home countries.  

Mikko Perez, founder and CEO of Ayannah, presented to a seasoned group of investors including Gady Nemirovsky of Inspiration VC, Andrea Zure of XG Ventures (Ex-Google Ventures) Paul Straub with Claremont Creek Ventures and Jed Katz of Javelin Partners.

VC Taskforce is an organization based in the Silicon Valley that provides a forum for the venture community to share ideas and information to help them manage their businesses for maximum success.

In August 2009, the Philippine Government (Departments of Science & Technology, Trade & Industry and Foreign Affairs) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with STAC-SV to formalize a working relationship that together would create a platform in the Philippines designed to support efforts of local entrepreneurs, scientists and graduate students with attractive global business models.

Ayannah was one of three winners of the 2010 eServices Philippines business plan competition, the first competition of its kind organized by the Philippine government through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and Plug and Play Tech Center.  

Jojo Flores, co-founder at Plug and Play who also serves as Vice President of STAC-SV, led the event and provided the sponsorship for a three-month full suite of services and executive advisement at the company’s headquarters in Sunnyvale.

“Ayannah’s win will encourage other Philippine entrepreneurs,” said Philippine Consul General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr., “especially those participating in this year’s business plan competition.”

ON3, the 2011 competition, will be held during the Philippine National Science and Technology Week in Manila on July 23-31, 2011.